Letter: Beavers are good neighbors

The benefits of beavers and their ponds to the environment far outweighs their drawbacks.

Ponds are vital habitat for great blue herons, osprey, kingfishers, mink and otters, among others, and support many plant species.

Beaver ponds act like sponges during heavy rainfall, preventing flooding, filtering water running through their ponds and increasing groundwater level. Communities suffering from the effect of drought often move beavers onto their lands to build dams.

Pond-building by beavers sometimes floods the property of landowners. The usual method of solving this problem has been to destroy both beavers and dams. This inhumane action is ineffective, however, because other beavers will move into these areas, and the problem begins again.

A more humane and permanent solution is to install beaver flow pipes and fences. These devices, sometimes called beaver deceivers, maintain an acceptable water level in the pond, for all concerned, human and animal. The New Hampshire Animal Rights League is engaging in a new project to save beavers by promoting and installing such devices.

Well Barbara, I have several that my neighbors along the river would be glad to give to you. They carry diseases and erode the bankings as well as wreck havoc with trees. I did grow up by a beaver pond that existed for years on Farrington Corner road. It was destroyed long after I was grown and has never returned. Too bad, we used to skate in the winter and fish in the summer. Now it's a marsh with a pool of water. Did notice a direct connection with the arrival of new neighbors in fancy rehabbed old farm houses and it's demise. So you see I am torn on the benefits of these furry little critters. As far as flood control - that's a joke. They cause more than they prevent.

Hunter_Dan wrote:

08/09/2014

I love beaver.

Hunter_Dan wrote:

08/09/2014

NHARL . . . New Hampshire's in their name but their money comes from out-of-state corporate animal-rights groups like PETA, HSUS, etc. That's NOT the "New Hampshire advantage."